


Eternal

by Traxits



Category: Loveless, Star Ocean: The Second Story | Second Evolution
Genre: M/M, Wordcount: Over 10.000, Work In Progress, mild violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2010-05-13
Updated: 2010-06-22
Packaged: 2017-10-09 10:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/86335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traxits/pseuds/Traxits
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr. Leon Gehste is experimenting with his newest spell when something goes wrong. Suddenly, he is flung, not through realities, but back through time. Stranded when he can't get the spell to work again, he settles in for the long haul, blending in as best he can. This means school (elementary school at that), where he meets a strangely interesting individual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Leon: Adaptation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theLiterator](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theLiterator/gifts).



> You don't actually need to know a whole lot about the Star Ocean universe to enjoy this story. Just accept that Leon is intelligent, can cast spells, and has cat ears but no tail. Also, I went with the literal spelling of his last name, instead of the translated "Geeste" or "Gehste" because it seemed to fit in more.
> 
> レオン・D・S・ゲーステ (_Reon D.S. Gēsute_)
> 
> Finally, "crests" or "Symbology" refers to the magic that Leon wields. A power word (or Symbol) is inked into his body using a special kind of ink that lights up whenever he uses the spell. I will provide more details on this in later chapters, when he actually casts spells, but for now, just think of his crests as clear tattoos.

**[[ … Prologue: Endless Stars ….. ]]**

The world was swimming, coming and going even as Leon reached out, tried desperately to grasp something-- anything. He couldn't stay on his feet, couldn't keep his eyes open. "Claude-nii-san," he whispered, his voice cracking just slightly as his fingers caught on something cold, something _solid_. Slowly, he pulled himself closer to it, wrapped his fingers all the way around it and clung to it for all he was worth. It wasn't like riding out a storm, but more like riding out wave after wave of nauseating colors and sounds. All of his senses were overwhelmed: the light was too bright, all of the sounds too loud, his skin felt as though it were on fire, everything from flowers to car exhaust filled his nose, and he could taste... strawberries? He coughed. No, not anything sweet, but bile. The back of his throat was burning, the taste coating his tongue, making him gag.

Just as suddenly, everything washed away, leaving him gasping and struggling to open his eyes. When he finally managed to, he realized that he was wrapped almost completely around one leg of a swing set. Carefully, he pushed himself up onto his shaking legs, and he looked up at the sky overhead. For just a moment, he felt terrible hysteria setting in, a bubbling panic that made him tremble and forced a scream just to his lips. As he opened his mouth though, his eyes locked on a cluster of stars. Three of them, in a slightly crooked line.

The noise died before he could give breath to it, and he breathed in deeply as he sought out the rest of the constellation, the only one he'd had time to learn so far. His hands clenched into fists, and slowly, he forced himself to calm down, to look around. Whatever had gone wrong, he could fix it, he just had to keep his head. Claude wasn't with him this time; there would be no slap to return him to his senses. Hesitantly, he reached up and touched his cheek with his fingertips, remembering the sting, _needing_ to remember it.

He felt the heat of the crest finally beginning to fade, and Leon twisted around, peeling down his lab coat and shirt, checking it carefully. The very outer edges of the symbol were raised (that was normal), and blood was beginning to drip from the design (normal since he'd not waited before trying to cast), having long since washed away the scab that had only begun to cover it. He _knew_ better, he really did. A crest needed time to set, the ink had to mix properly under the skin before the spell would work. He had been _reckless_ and _stupid_ and now he was paying for it.

The shirt was pressed down against the blood, and Leon tugged his lab coat back up and over his shoulders. Slowly, he dusted himself off, and by the time he was done, he'd managed to suppress the urge to throw up. He might have been foolish before, but he was taking no chances. The teleport spell he had been trying clearly sent him_ somewhere_, and if he couldn't get back on his own, he just had to wait for Claude and Rena and Precis to mount a rescue. They _would_ come for him. He just had to be patient.

He blew out a breath, and he started walking, heading toward the brightest of the lights he could see. He was in some kind of park, judging from the greenery and the playground equipment. Absently, he tugged his lab coat more tightly around him, and he folded his arms up close to his body. He didn't mind the cold so much, but he had to be careful about it. He could get sick easily, especially if the spell had sent him to some other planet (highly_ improbable_, but not impossible) instead of to Claude's private residence on Earth. He _really_ shouldn't have tried teleporting from the spaceship while it had been in orbit, he supposed as he reached the sidewalk. A glance each way, and he decided on left before he started walking again. He had a lot of work to do, whatever had happened.

**[[ … Chapter One: Adaptation ….. ]]**

"Shinonome-sensei?" Leon stood in the open doorway, his paperwork clasped in front of him, supported by a thick notebook that he didn't feel comfortable being without. His fingers curled over the top of it-- they _ached_ to hold a good clipboard, but kids his age didn't carry those here-- and he bowed to the first woman that he saw. She blushed darkly, and for just a moment, he stilled, certain he'd managed to breach some terrible protocol. He'd only been in this country now for three days (most of that was spent in front of a computer, trying to figure out how to make himself an identity that would pass their inspection), and some of the customs seemed to make no sense to him. She smiled though, and he returned it; he must not have messed up too much.

"You must be Gēsute Leon-kun?" She bent down a little, tilting her head as she put her hands on her knees. It was such a child-like position, that Leon couldn't help but grin. She made him think of Rena (with brown hair instead of blue), even if she did have cat ears. … And a tail. Self-consciously, he pulled down on the jacket he'd carelessly tied around his waist. "You're alone today?" She sounded strangely resigned, as though she was certain of his answer before he even opened his mouth. It made him uncomfortable

"Yes, miss. My parents couldn't make it today, but I do already have all of the paperwork in order." He tightened his grip on the notebook briefly before he relinquished the folder that was sitting on top of it. Everything in there was _perfect_, flawless transcripts from his 'old' school, all of the paperwork necessary to transfer from one real school to another, without ever actually having attended the first. He had been meticulous, even while he was hoping that they wouldn't have to be used for more than a few weeks. Surely he could get home before it stretched into months. She took the folder and set it on the desk without ever glancing at it, but there was the slightest frown on her face as she looked at him.

She didn't argue with him, just kind of sighed and motioned for him to follow her. "Let's introduce you then," she said softly, her eyes unfocused as she led him down the hall toward the class. She pointed out several other rooms on the way-- as though he couldn't read the signs-- and each time she looked at him expectantly. He hesitated only briefly before he offered her his best smile, trying to look as though this were engaging. He _really_ hoped that this wasn't what he had to look forward to for the next several years.

But what else could he do? He was stuck _four hundred and fifty-one_ years in the past, and not only that, but he couldn't seem to make the teleport spell work again; he'd reopened that wound several times the past three days trying, but to no avail. He couldn't even teleport across the room. He sighed faintly, glaring at the door they were approaching. Then he felt the teacher looking at him, and he beamed back up at her. No use worrying the poor woman. There was nothing that _she_ could do for him.

It wasn't until he was in front of the crowd-- he'd always hated public speaking-- that he had to pretend to look interested and engaged in meeting his classmates. He hoped no one noticed that he was gripping the notebook so tightly that his knuckles were white. Wouldn't do to appear too nervous, would it?

"Everyone, this is Gēsute Leon-kun. He's just transferred from an American school."

"It's nice to meet you all." He reached up and scratched the back of his head with his free hand, trying not to actually look _at_ anyone in particular. If his luck would improve at all, he wouldn't be here for very long, so there was no point in trying to get to know anyone. He spotted an empty desk, near the back, and he hurried to it, wondering for a moment why it was empty as it was situated by a window that he could look out of. Then he spotted the problem with it: one of the legs was missing the end cap. Leon glanced around, didn't see another desk, so he shrugged a little, ripped out a piece of paper and folded it up to fit under the leg. Until he could fix it properly, that would serve.

He spent the rest of the class period, trying to not look at anyone, trying to look as though he were actually paying attention to the lesson. Certainly, he had enough willpower that he didn't spend the entire morning doodling in his notebook, sketching all twenty of the crests that decorated his body in their invisible ink. He wasn't called on to answer any questions, and by the time they stopped for lunch, he realized belatedly that he was _starving_.

Lunch was easy enough, and he was on his way to his chair when quite suddenly, he was staring a rather large pair of-- He swallowed, smiled and tilted his head to look up. He was used to glancing up to talk to just about everyone, even Precis, the only other friend he'd really had close to his own age (was four years older close to his age? Closer than Rena and them, he supposed), but this was a little ridiculous. What was she, a full foot taller than him? "Hi."

"Leon-kun?" She was smiling widely, and Leon couldn't help but return it. She was so energetic. "Leon-kun, come and sit with us!" She motioned toward her desk, where another boy was sitting already, waiting for her to come back. He stilled for just a moment, and then relented. What could it hurt? And she was _so_ much like Precis, not in looks but in personality. Bubbly and happy and _energetic_... it was a little slice of home in this completely alien place.

She stopped him just before they reached the desks and pointed to herself, blushing softly. "Hawatari Yuiko. Call me Yuiko, Leon-kun!"

Leon smiled back at her, amused at how over the top she really was. "I'll call you Yuiko-san," he said quietly, ignoring how she frowned at the idea.

"It's _Yuiko_!" She sat in her seat lightly, and Leon froze for only a moment as he glanced around, looking for whoever sat in the desk he was about to borrow. Not seeing anyone, he lowered himself into it very slowly. "Ritsuka-kun, this is Leon-kun."

Ritsuka lifted his eyes slowly, studied Leon for a moment, then nodded, a small smile on his face. "Leon-kun?" he asked quietly, and Leon wasn't quite certain if he was asking if it was okay if he used the name or if he was just making certain he heard it correctly. Leon smiled as warmly as he could and shrugged, as though to say 'why not?' Ritsuka's smile widened just a fraction, then he was back to opening his milk, getting ready to eat.

Strangely, Leon's appetite seemed to have vanished, but he forced himself to eat everything, knowing that until he figured out the kitchen in his apartment, this would be his best meal of the day. Yuiko talked enough for all three of them, and aside from her occasional, "Yeah, Ritsuka-kun?" Or, "Right, Leon-kun?" She didn't seem to need much input at all. Leon managed to eat his entire lunch before he was finally forced to answer an actual question.

"You're American, Leon-kun?" Her eyes were sparkling and Leon noticed that she'd barely made it through half of her own meal. She'd been talking too much.

"No," he said quietly, mentally preparing himself for it. He'd delivered the lie in front of a mirror, but not yet in front of a person. Should have taken more time to prepare before he enrolled in the school? "I'm Japanese, but we only just moved back. My father worked in Seattle." He tried to sound casual as he spoke, and he bought himself a brief pause as he finished off his milk. "Just got everything in order for me to return to school."

"How interesting!"

Did she sound this excited about everything? Leon tilted his head as he studied her. She seemed a little foolish, but she was kind. And kind was exactly what he needed right then. It was exactly what he might need in the coming weeks, depending on whether or not Claude and everyone could perfect time travel. He suppressed a slight snort at the idea, realizing that it would be terrible manners since they were technically at the lunch 'table'-- did three desks shoved together constitute a table?

"Yeah. Interesting." Leon glanced down, then back up at Yuiko and Ritsuka. It was probably also rude to just outright ask, but... He stopped himself. It wasn't any of his business what they were together. Besides, a _couple_ wouldn't have invited him to eat with them, would they? He frowned just slightly, thinking about it. Yuiko was awfully familiar with, well, even a complete stranger such as himself. Perhaps she really was just over-enthusiastic?

"Lunch is over, everyone. Let's clean up." Shinonome-sensei's voice interrupted him, and he was grateful for it. The motion of cleaning up his lunch tray and then helping pick up and straighten the classroom gave him something to do. By the time they were done and classes had started again, Leon was more relaxed. He'd managed most of a day so far, with very little interaction at all. If every day went by that way, he could do this. It would even give him time to work out some of his theories-- he could write them in Expellian, and no one here would be able to decode them for another... 400 years. The thought brought a very small but genuine smile to his face.

Regrettably, every day did _not_ go that smoothly, Leon learned. It was his third day at the school (a Friday). He had almost made it the entire day through, but right as he moved to escape, as he turned to head out the door, pack slung over one shoulder, he felt someone lay a hand on him. He jerked away, his eyes widening that someone had the _audacity_\--

But then, why wouldn't they? The thought was slow coming, unwelcome, even though he knew it was a completely logical conclusion. He wasn't the lead scientist for the Lacuer Royal Court here. Hell, he wasn't even a professor here. So when they shoved him, he hesitated, uncertain of what he was supposed to do. His fist clenched, and he knew what Dias would say: hit them. Hit them square in the jaw and _force_ them to leave you alone. Claude would probably second that motion.

"Shorty," the favorite taunt, the one that stung the most. "Where are you going?"

Leon's face flushed, and he growled lowly, warning them. He could feel the surge of adrenaline beginning to rush through his veins, feel the heat of crests in his skin as they prepared for him to pick one, to unleash the power that was coursing through him. Burning heat flared in his shoulder, where the teleport crest began to ache. Was it infected? Or was the adrenaline just too much for it to handle? Was it bleeding again? He gritted his teeth but didn't say anything, instead choosing to start walking again, to ignore them. He needed to check the bandage over the crest on his shoulder.

Then he felt the notebook sliding out from under his arm. He reached back, tried to grab it, but the kid who took it just held it up out of his reach. Leon's face burned more brightly-- he felt like it was on fire-- and he lowered his arms, doing his best to look dignified as he demanded, "Give it back."

"What are you always writing in this anyway, chubby?" A low rumble of chuckles, and Leon lunged for it, trying to grab the book before his bully opened it, ignoring the comment about his weight. He wasn't _that_ much softer than anyone else here. A quick shove pushed him out of the way, and the kid (was he even in Leon's class?) opened the book, thumbed through it, and snorted loudly. "It's not even proper writing! Did you never learn Japanese, foreigner?"

Leon scowled darkly, muttering, "Maybe you should study English more instead of insulting my Japanese." The jab didn't help his situation, and he _knew_ he had dug his own hole when the youth closed the notebook and narrowed his eyes. Someone else grabbed his arms, and the leader leaned down, tapping the corner of the notebook against Leon's nose.

"Maybe _you_ should learn some manners." And with that, the book was thrown, much to Leon's horror, across the yard. It hit the side of the school and slid pitifully to the ground, papers flying everywhere. Loose sheets that Leon had found and saved, notes written on the backs of napkins or fliers, and even some of the older pages that Leon had worn down already until they barely clung to the wire spiral all exploded out.

"Stop it!"

Leon blinked, and his captor dropped him as Ritsuka walked out of the school, his eyes sharp and piercing on everyone.

"It seems that it is _you_ who need to learn some manners," Ritsuka stated calmly as he closed the distance between them. "You don't deserve to live if you're going to be like this." For a moment, Leon thought that it was going to come down to something more violent than simple insults-- his crests flared briefly, reminding him that he was _not_ helpless.

"What's going on out there?" Some teacher, Leon didn't recognize her, stuck her head out of a window to yell, and the boys scattered, leaving just Leon and Ritsuka staring at each other. Leon bit the inside of his cheek as he considered his position, then sighed.

"Thank you," he said quietly before he moved to begin gathering his papers. Ritsuka paused, clearly having expected something else, but what Leon couldn't have said. When the other youth started helping him gather up the sheets, Leon blushed just slightly and added, "You don't have to help. I'll be better prepared next time." He wouldn't keep the book out next time; he'd leave school just a little earlier to beat the crowd. He'd run if necessary. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself by being the hapless victim to a group of primitive Earthlings.

Ritsuka handed him the papers, a faint smile on his lips, and he tilted his head to study Leon. What was he waiting for? Leon had thanked him, had severed any further obligation that he might have had. He had even offered him a graceful way out. But instead, Ritsuka was just looking at him curiously. Leon found his blush deepening. "Aoyagi-kun?"

Ritsuka opened his mouth, but just as he went to speak, another voice interrupted him.

"Leon-kun!" Yuiko bounded up to them, another boy (was _that_ Yayoi-kun?) behind her. She studied them both, and Leon realized that it must have looked odd, with them crouched down together like that just outside of one of the windows. Quickly, he stood up, swinging his bag around so that he could shove the notebook inside of it.

"Yuiko-san," he answered softly, his eyes cutting back to Ritsuka for a moment before returning to her. She smiled widely, took his hand, and tugged on it a little.

"You're going to come and play with us, right? With Ritsuka-kun, Yayoi-kun, and Yuiko?"

He returned her smile and let her tug him closer to her, his ears lowering just slightly. "If Yuiko-san insists." How could he tell her no, when she was the only person he saw who smiled at him every day? No matter what, when she saw him, she lit up, genuinely happy that he was at school. It made up for the mind-numbing classes that he'd forced himself to read the books for.

"_Yuiko_ insists," she corrected, sniffing loudly, but both of her friends ducked their heads to hide their smiles. Leon didn't bother, instead grinning openly, even as she started to tug him down the sidewalk. "We are going to the park, Leon-kun. Do you like taking pictures?"

His eyebrows raised at the seemingly unrelated statements. He glanced past Yuiko toward Ritsuka, who blushed just slightly. Was he the photographer then? "Who doesn't?" he asked, shrugging slightly. "Do you take pictures, Yuiko-san?" His eyes never left Ritsuka though, and despite how rude he knew it was, he couldn't help it. Out of the group, Ritsuka was easily the most interesting person, if only because of how reserved he was.

"Oh, no!" Yuiko laughed, and if it was a touch _too_ loud, no one seemed to notice. "Ritsuka-kun takes pictures! Yayoi-kun and I are just there for the memories." Leon finally tore his gaze away in order to look over at Yayoi instead.

"Yayoi-kun?" he asked, and the boy nodded, a soft smile on his face. He seemed quiet, but kind, much like Yuiko. Leon decided almost immediately that he liked him, strange as he knew it was. At least Leon was fitting in though. "Nice to meet you." He pried his arm out of Yuiko's clutches and nodded to Yayoi. "Gēsute Leon," he added, reaching up to brush his hair back.

"Leon-kun," Yayoi said cordially, and for just a moment, his eyes lingered on the top of Leon's head. Leon felt himself beginning to flush once more, and he tried to breathe deeply, to prevent it. He was _achingly_ aware of the fact that he was the shortest person in the group, and by a few inches at that.

Their trip was passed in relative quiet, with Yuiko chattering and stopping only to pick up drinks before they found the park. Leon wasn't surprised to find that it was the same one that he'd been dropped in by his teleport spell. He had done his best to remain close by, in case Claude and everyone appeared there to rescue him. He rolled his shoulders, wondering if perhaps all of the blood had washed some of the ink out of the crest. If that was the case, he might have to resort to drastic measures to get home. … Assuming he could get back at all.

Ritsuka took Leon's drink from him, opening it easily before he returned it. Leon's blush darkened-- was he doomed to be permanently embarrassed while he was here?-- as he realized that he was so spacy he hadn't even opened it first. "Thank you, Aoyagi-kun," he said softly, looking down at the top of the bottle.

"Ritsuka." The youth offered him a smile, and then pulled a camera out of his bag. All of the bags were dropped on the top of the first table they found, and Leon perched on the edge of it as Ritsuka and the others began snapping pictures. He took a long drink of the juice he'd bought-- carrot!-- and almost snorted it when Ritsuka casually snapped a picture of him. They all three laughed at his face, and for a moment, he felt the old temper flaring. He had suffered more indignities in the past few days than he had in most of his _life_, and yet--

He stilled, and then a very small smile touched his face. And yet he was enjoying it, wasn't he? Ritsuka lowered the camera slowly, clearly worried that he'd done something wrong. Leon managed a small grin in return, and he set the juice on the edge of the table before he leaned over. He hesitated just a moment before he said, "I think we need some pictures with you in them, Ritsuka-kun." He was pleased when Ritsuka shoved the camera into his hands, and he happily took pictures of the three of them. Then Yayoi took pictures, then Yuiko snapped a few, and finally, Ritsuka charmed some passerby into taking pictures of all four of them. She seemed happy enough to do it, and Leon had to admit, it was a lot more fun than he'd ever thought it could be.

By the time they were all done, Leon was far more tired than he should have been-- relief, perhaps? He walked with them as they all headed home, uncertain of how exactly he could manage to untangle himself, manage to get away to head back to his own place. They all walked as a tight group, all the way up until Yayoi and Yuiko said their goodbyes and turned down another street. Leon glanced up at Ritsuka, and he hesitated. Then he relented and decided he would at least see Ritsuka to his home. Ritsuka was far more vulnerable to any predators than Leon was, after all.

Sighing softly, Leon untied the jacket from around his waist, shifting the weight of the backpack as he did. Ritsuka was typing something on his phone, and Leon carefully pulled the jacket on, one sleeve at a time. Now that they weren't goofing off and being silly, he was getting cold, and he welcomed the warmth of the fleece liner. Absently, he rubbed it against his cheek, and when he heard the camera click again, he flushed, glaring at Ritsuka.

"What was that?" he asked, but there wasn't any anger in it. How could there be, when Ritsuka was looking through their pictures with such a smile on his face?

"You looked happy. I wanted to remember you like that."

Leon stilled, the words striking surprisingly deep. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this at ease, this... content with everything. At least, he couldn't remember anything outside of the stolen moments on the road to saving Expel. Now that it was all gone, he didn't have anything to control, anything to care for. Nothing aside for himself, and he was easy enough.

He was going to say something in response, he knew that much. The words were there, but they didn't have a chance to come out. His head lifted, and his eyes widened as he scented power. It wasn't _exactly_ Heraldry-- Symbology, as Claude called it-- but it was something similar. Instinctively, he stepped between Ritsuka and the source, painfully aware that the street they were on was sorely lacking in the hero department.

A tall man stepped into view, and Leon's breathing hitched. The power rolled off of him in waves, even as casual as he appeared to be, his hands in his pockets. However, his eyes landed on Leon, and he seemed to tense. Leon's fist clenched.

"Ritsuka." The man's voice was low, even. Calm. It made something stir in Leon's stomach, but before Leon could do anything, Ritsuka was smiling and stepping up beside him, _beaming_ at the man.

"Soubi." His voice was oddly tender, and for a moment, Leon felt his chest grow tight. He'd heard that tone before many times: when Rena and Claude spoke to one another, away from the group, when they thought no one could hear; when Opera and Ernest had a minute to themselves; even when Ashton spoke to Dias.

After just a second, Soubi approached them, still eying Leon carefully, even as he wrapped an arm around Ritsuka's shoulders. Ritsuka leaned into it, his eyes closing briefly before he pushed out of the embrace and smiled at Leon. "Leon-kun, this is Soubi."

"Soubi-nii-san," Leon bowed very slightly, just the inclination of his head as he tried to figure out if Ritsuka could feel the same power from Soubi that he could. "It's nice to meet you."

Soubi didn't answer right away, just narrowed his eyes, and Leon felt his adrenaline beginning to surge. He didn't want a confrontation, not in public, not when he was just beginning to fit in. He tried to keep himself calm, tried to regulate his breathing-- breathe in four counts, breathe out five-- but it didn't seem to be helping. He felt crests beginning to heat up, pain in his shoulder, and he quickly shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, just as the crests on his wrists flared. He breathed a very slow sigh of relief when Soubi finally looked away, looked back at Ritsuka.

They exchanged low words, and then Ritsuka looked back at him oddly, before Soubi started walking with them, protectively placing himself between Ritsuka and Leon. Leon followed idly, feeling very much like the third wheel, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. Finally, they stopped, and Leon opened his mouth to make his excuses, to escape, only to be stopped when Soubi raised one of his hands. Ritsuka bounded up to the door, and the moment he was out of earshot, Soubi turned to look at Leon.

"What's your name?"

Something about the way he asked it made Leon nervous, but he resisted the urge to bite his lip, even when his crests flared back to life. "Gēsute Leon," he answered, proud of how steady his voice was. He frowned though, when Soubi waved one of his hands.

"No, your real name."

"Leon?" He swallowed, wondering what exactly the man was trying to get at. Leon had purposely used his real name, not that anyone where would recognize it, so that he wouldn't have to learn a new one. Soubi stared at him for just a moment more, but then Ritsuka was calling from the door.

"Are you two coming in?"

Soubi drew back just a little, and then he said quietly, "You're a Sentouki. Which pair are you with?"

"A... Sentouki?" Leon's brow furrowed, and he tried to figure out what exactly Soubi was talking about. "A fighter? I am not." It wasn't a lie either. He was a Master of Symbology, a Heraldic Artist. Not some sort of brute muscle. Whatever a Sentouki was, it didn't apply to him. "You're mistaken, Soubi-nii-san."

"Soubi? Leon-kun?" Ritsuka stood in the doorway, and Leon looked from Soubi to the youth.

"Are we going in?" He glanced back up to Soubi. Was all of this worth it? Was he getting mixed up in something over his head?

Soubi didn't answer, but instead simply headed to the doorway. Ritsuka waited for a moment, as Leon forcibly slowed his breathing, made his crests stop glowing.

"You coming, Leon-kun?" He tilted his head a little, and Leon hesitated. He shouldn't. This seemed incredibly foolish. But then he looked up at Ritsuka, who was standing in the doorway, staring at him so carefully. Perhaps a little foolishness was tolerable?


	2. Ritsuka: Familiarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of uploading this chapter (16 May 2010), I made a few minor changes to the first chapter. The most important of these changes are that I reduced how long Leon has been in the Loveless universe (from [one week and 4 days] to only [six days].), and that I changed the day that the bullying takes place (from Saturday to Friday).

"Behave, you two."

Ritsuka smiled at the indignant expressions Youji and Natsuo wore at Soubi's words, their halfhearted protests as he headed over to the small kitchen. Leon stepped into the apartment, dropping his bag beside Ritsuka's. He shrugged out of his jacket immediately, although instead of dropping _that_ with Ritsuka's as well, he tied it around his waist. Maybe it was an American thing? Ritsuka glanced back over toward the Zeroes, his eyes widening as he saw Natsuo. The youth was completely focused on Leon, his ears perked, his gaze sharp as he followed every move that Leon made.

Leon didn't seem to notice though, instead deciding that whatever Soubi was doing at the counter was far more interesting. Ritsuka watched him for a moment, and when Leon quietly offered to help, Soubi paused for only a moment before he stepped slightly to the side, letting him lean up to see what was being cooked. Natsuo took the moment to sit beside Ritsuka, still looking at the newest addition to their little group.

"He's a Sentouki."

It wasn't a question, but Ritsuka couldn't help tilting his head, one ear perking as he asked, "You think so?"

Natsuo gave him that smile-- the one he got whenever he thought Ritsuka was being naïve-- and nodded slowly. "I know he is. Sentouki can sense one another."

"Then wouldn't he be able to sense you?" Ritsuka smiled as he watched Leon stir something, still questioning Soubi about whatever they were having for dinner.

"What makes you think he's not sensing me? Or Soubi for that matter?" Natsuo shrugged with one shoulder, leaning back briefly before he shoved off of the chair and over to the kitchen. Soubi handed him the knife and the vegetables, and he set about cutting them, still shooting glances at Leon every so often.

"What's your name?" Natsuo looked down at whatever he was cutting when he asked, but Youji looked up at that question. Leon's dark brown ears flattened down in his blue hair, and slowly, he stopped stirring.

"Gēsute Leon," he answered, pointedly handing the cooking back over to Soubi before he stepped away from the pot.

"No, your true name." Youji must have picked up on what Natsuo was really asking, not that Ritsuka was surprised at that, and he tilted his head, ignoring how flat Leon's ears were.

Leon scowled, turning toward them, his hands on his hips. "It's Leon, okay? Just Leon. I'm not this Sentouki or whatever you seem to think I am. I am completely _normal_."

Ritsuka's lips quirked into a little smile at the emphasis on the word, and he stood up. "Leave him alone," he said softly, meeting gazes with Leon. "If he says he's not a Sentouki, then he's not a Sentouki." Perhaps it was childish, but for once, Ritsuka wanted someone to actually be what they appeared. Just another kid that was his own age, not someone from the Seven Moons, not someone trying to kidnap him. "My apologies, Leon-kun," he added. "They can be a little protective." He smiled, trying to be as disarming as possible. Leon looked ready to run right out the door, and the last thing that Ritsuka wanted was for him to leave.

Soubi turned from the stove, studying Leon for a minute. "You're new to Ritsuka's class?"

Ritsuka sighed, knowing that Soubi knew full well the answer to that. He'd mentioned the newest classmate before.

Leon nodded slowly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. Just transferred."

"You're American?"

Ritsuka scowled at Soubi, and he motioned for Leon to come and sit with him. Leon hesitated, and then Ritsuka held up one of the controllers. His face lit up, and he happily sat down beside Ritsuka, taking the controller in his hand. Ritsuka answered for him, shooting Soubi another glare. "No, he's Japanese. His father worked in Seattle." Leon looked so relieved that Ritsuka found himself feeling badly for him. "Like I said," he murmured lowly to Leon. "They can be a little over-protective." He smiled, and when Leon offered a shy one in return, it made something in his chest tighten.

"What did your father do?" Youji perched very lightly behind both of them, leaning forward on one of Ritsuka's shoulders, ignoring the look that Soubi shot him. He stuck his face between Ritsuka and Leon, his ears still perked forward as he looked at the newcomer. Leon kept his focus on the game in front of him, his fingers pushing buttons absently.

"He's a scientist." A very slight twitch of his lips widened his smile, but he didn't look away from the screen. "He's doing work on micro-fabricated solid oxide fuel cells. They offered him a better laboratory here. Mom was fine with it, since it put her back in physical contact with her team. They manufacture specialty parts for different companies."

Youji drew back a little, frowning. He and Natsuo exchanged glances, and Ritsuka felt a little blossom of pride at Leon's deft handling of their questions. He leaned over, dislodging Youji and propped his chin up on Leon's shoulder to watch him play. It wasn't so much that he was interested in the game as it was he wanted to prove that not _everyone _in Japan was out to kidnap him these days. Not _everyone_ was Seven Moons.

Soubi announced that dinner was ready, and Leon shut off the game before he joined them at the small table. It was some sort of stew-- Ritsuka didn't really look too closely; he trusted Soubi in fixing his meals-- and to their shock, the only one who ate with more enthusiasm than Ritsuka was Leon, who flushed darkly when Natsuo openly watched him eat. After he realized that he was perhaps a little _too_ into the food, he carefully slowed down and matched Soubi, bite by bite.

Ritsuka's eyebrows raised at that, at the little things he'd been noticing similar to that. It was like Leon wasn't certain of their customs, like he was trying his best to copy them perfectly. And the unusual thing was that he did. In another month, maybe two, Ritsuka didn't think there would be much left at all about Leon that was foreign. He picked up everything, from accents to mannerisms almost exactly. Ritsuka narrowed his eyes, and he finished off his stew, glad for Soubi's cooking once more. It was a relief to eat without having to worry about what he was putting in his mouth.

Youji volunteered to do dishes-- "Natsuo helped cook!"-- and then came the awkward moment afterward where they had to find something to do. Leon fidgeted, picking at the sleeve of the jacket tied around his waist, and Natsuo watched him, frowning.

Soubi leaned over Ritsuka, asking softly, "You'll need to go home soon?" The unspoken question was whether or not Ritsuka thought he'd be missed. He didn't think so, not after his mother hadn't even come out of her room that morning. Truth be told, he could probably spend a few evenings over at Soubi's without her even realizing it. He sighed softly and shook his head. Soubi smiled at the action, but it was reserved, as though he understood that it hurt Ritsuka that his mother wouldn't even realize he hadn't come home.

"Is your tail brown like that too?"

Ritsuka's eyes widened, and he looked around Soubi at Natsuo, who had his head propped up in his hands as he studied Leon. Leon was blushing again, but whether from embarrassment or anger, Ritsuka couldn't say.

"W-what? What difference does it make?"

"I was just asking! It's rare, having ears that are a different color from your hair." Natsuo stood up and closed the distance between himself and Leon, reaching up to touch one of Leon's ears lightly. "I've never seen it before, actually."

Leon batted Natsuo's hand away, stammering something out that wasn't really an answer. Natsuo didn't seem to be listening though, because he gleefully asked, "Can I see?" He snagged one of Leon's jacket sleeves and tugged on it.

"Natsuo-kun!" Ritsuka was horrified at the Zero's manners, and he quickly walked over to them, and removed the sleeve from Natsuo's grip. "That's _terrible_! What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to _see_, Ritsuka-kun!"

"If he wants you to see, he'll _show_ you!" Ritsuka wrapped an arm around Leon's shoulders, and he glanced down at the other elementary school student curiously. Leon was frowning, blushing, and seemed utterly mortified that he was the center of attention for something like that. He stood perfectly still for just a moment, and then he was fidgeting with the sleeve of his jacket again, looking down and studying the cuff in his hands intently.

"Leon-kun, I don't know what's come over everyone tonight--"

"It's okay." Leon smiled a little, but he didn't look up. "I have that effect on people." He hesitated only a moment, and then he very carefully dislodged himself from Ritsuka, looking up at him when he did. "I'm sorry. I'll just head on home." He kept the smile on when he spoke though, and Ritsuka had a sinking feeling that he was smiling purely for Ritsuka's sake, since _he'd_ been the one to kind of wordlessly invite Leon to Soubi's in the first place.

Soubi sighed and grabbed his own jacket, motioning toward the door. "We'll walk you home," he said quietly, and Ritsuka nodded, excited at the idea of getting to see someone else's house. He'd seen Yuiko's and Yayoi's, and of course, Soubi's. The thought of another one to add to his collection was thrilling. He grabbed his own coat, and offered Leon the strap to his bag.

Leon blushed a little as he carefully untied his jacket and pulled it on. The thing was so long, it reached halfway down his thighs, and Natsuo groaned loudly.

"Not even a peek?" he asked quickly and frowned when Soubi, Leon _and_ Ritsuka all shot him a tired expression. "Fine," he muttered, going back to sulking at the table.

Leon shouldered his bag, and they all three headed out the door, leaving the Zeroes in the apartment by themselves. Soubi locked the door behind him, and then they were going down steps and onto the sidewalk. Leon hesitated there and shot them both a look.

"You don't have to walk me back, you know. I'll be fine."

Soubi's eyebrows raised, and he tilted his head just a little to one side. "It is already dark, Leon-kun. You should have an adult to escort you."

Ritsuka nodded his own agreement, and Leon stood perfectly still for only a moment before he yielded. They started walking, Leon walking just a step ahead of them. Ritsuka smiled as he nuzzled down into his own jacket, and Soubi gently tucked Ritsuka under his shoulder for a moment before Ritsuka smiled up at him and hurried to catch up to Leon.

"They're not normally like that, you know," he said softly, noticing how flat Leon's ears were. Was he really that miserable? "Like I said--"

"They're just over-protective, I know." Leon smiled just slightly, shrugging as he pulled his jacket a little more tightly around him. He glanced back toward Soubi briefly before he looked at Ritsuka once more. "Ritsuka-kun," he asked quietly, "what's a Sentouki?"

Ritsuka hesitated, not entirely certain how to answer that. He didn't actually know how much he was supposed to tell someone, especially someone who was so adamant that they _weren't_ involved. He settled instead for a small shrug and said, "If you're not one, it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"It does if I'm going to be mistaken for one." Leon's ears flattened a fraction more, and Ritsuka nodded slowly, what was left of his smile dissolving at _that_ thought. The last thing Leon needed was for Seven Moons to arrive and try to take him to wherever they were trying to take Ritsuka to.

"Yeah," he found himself agreeing, and Soubi must have known how upset he was at the thought; he closed the distance, dispelling any sense of privacy that had been built between Ritsuka and Leon. Soubi's arm lightly rested over his shoulders, and he was glad for it right at that moment. His own hand lifted to touch Soubi's wrist, and he focused himself as they walked. "A Sentouki..."

"A Sentouki is one-half of a fighting pair." Soubi's voice was smooth as always, permanently calm as he described even the strangest of things. Ritsuka felt a very small smile ghosting over his lips. He had been on the receiving end of that voice many times. "A Sacrifice uses a Sentouki in spell battles against other Sacrifices."

Leon's eyes widened just a touch, and Ritsuka nodded as he looked at the other youth. "It's true," he murmured, squeezing Soubi's wrist slightly in thanks. Soubi was always much better at delivering such words. "Sentouki control the words used in spells," Soubi's words, delivered through Ritsuka's mouth this time. "Their spells can cause damage, and it's the Sacrifice's job to take that damage so that the Sentouki can continue to fight."

A slow nod, and Ritsuka was truly surprised at how well Leon was taking the idea. Had Ritsuka not learned all of this by being exposed to a fight himself, he doubted that he would have been as accepting. Leon looked back up to Soubi, his eyes narrowing sharply.

"So, why did you mistake me for a Sentouki?"

The strangest thing about the question was that Ritsuka found himself wondering if Leon already knew the answer. It was there, in the way he'd stopped walking, the way his fists were clenched at his sides. It was there, even in the way that he looked directly at Soubi, _daring_ him to answer. Ritsuka was surprised to see a smile curve Soubi's lips.

"You have a battle domain. It's how Sentouki sense one another." Soubi leaned down close to Leon, his smile widening a touch. "You can sense me after all, can't you?"

Ritsuka wasn't entirely sure _what_ was being exchanged between the two of them, but it was something, that was for certain. Leon swallowed but didn't draw back, didn't flinch, even when Soubi reached up and lightly brushed the side of Leon's face with the backs of his fingers. "You stepped between Ritsuka and myself whenever I first approached you on the street."

Ritsuka gasped softly, his own eyes widening at the memory. Leon _had_ stepped between them, and he'd seem braced for something-- a fight? "Leon-kun?" Ritsuka reached out and caught his wrist, studying him intently. Leon didn't look away from Soubi until Ritsuka tugged on his arm. "Leon-kun, can you sense Soubi?"

There was a moment that Ritsuka didn't think Leon would answer, and then Leon nodded slowly, glancing between Soubi and Ritsuka both. "I can," he admitted, and Ritsuka made a low noise. "I... I wasn't sure what it was though."

Soubi tilted his head and very slowly straightened up. He studied Leon for perhaps a full moment, and to Leon's credit, he didn't even seem bothered by it. Instead, he only reached up and gave Ritsuka's hand a squeeze before he carefully dislodged it. Soubi motioned for him to start walking again, and Leon did, shoving his hands down into his pockets as he did. Ritsuka watched him as he, too, fell into step, and was relieved to see his ears perking back up a little. After just a minute, Soubi laughed, and Ritsuka frowned at the sound, uncertain of it's cause.

"Fast learner, aren't you, Leon-kun?" Soubi's eyes glittered as he looked pointedly down at the youth, and then, when he noticed Ritsuka's expression, he clarified his words. "Leon-kun felt me retract my own battle domain, and he figured out how to control his own. He's already got it reduced by almost half. Another day of practice, and he might have it constricted even further."

"If I'm going to be mistaken for a Sentouki, I need to know how to hide it," Leon sniffed, looking up at the street signs as they made a turn. "I don't need everyone jumping down my throat about it, and now that I know what it is you're sensing, it's not hard to figure out how to control it." He shifted the weight of the pack on his shoulder, and Ritsuka tilted his head slightly as he watched. It was a two-strapped bag, but Leon was only wearing one of the straps. The other hung free behind him. Another American thing?

Soubi pulled Ritsuka back under his shoulder, leaning down to brush the lightest of kisses over his hair. Ritsuka blushed but didn't try to stop him, knowing that it would only cause a commotion if he pointed it out. Soubi didn't even seem to realize what he was doing most of the time, at least, when it came to displaying his affection for Ritsuka. Leon didn't notice, looking down at his feet as they walked. The quiet wasn't forced, wasn't strained, and when Leon finally stopped walking, pointing out a building as his apartment building, Ritsuka was a little surprised.

It wasn't exactly the most family-oriented neighborhood, but then again, they must have moved back in a hurry. Perhaps they simply hadn't found a more appropriate home? Ritsuka waved to Leon, and he was relieved when Leon smiled and waved back. "Leon-kun," he called, and when Leon stopped and turned back toward him, he added, "I'll have prints made for you, if you'd like."

Leon nodded. "Thank you, Ritsuka-kun," he called back, and then he disappeared into his building.

Soubi watched him go and lightly brushed his fingers through Ritsuka's hair before he asked, "Are you ready to go home as well?" For just a moment, Ritsuka leaned into the touch, willing himself to just forget, trying to be _happy_ and enjoy the moment. Then reality came crashing down again, and he sighed as he nodded.

"I _should_ go home," he whispered, and Soubi pulled him close. "Mom might start looking for me."

There wasn't any hesitation, any pressure to convince Ritsuka to stay. Instead, Soubi simply nodded, and they were walking again, Ritsuka leaning just a little against Soubi. It was this moment in the day that he decided he liked the best. When everything was quiet, no one was trying to take him away, and he could just _be_. But tonight, the calm was, if not shattered, at least cracked by the thought of his newest classmate.

"Do you really think he's a Sentouki?" He tilted his head back to look up at Soubi, who shrugged.

"Maybe. He _feels_ like one." Soubi gently rubbed Ritsuka's shoulder, offering a little smile. "It's no matter if he is. I'll protect you, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka shivered-- why did it affect him so for Soubi to say his name?-- and pushed off of Soubi so that they were walking a pace or two apart. "It's not that! I just..." He was being childish again, but he'd already started to speak. "I just wanted him to be normal. Not Seven Moons or anything else mysterious."

"That's understandable." Soubi tugged Ritsuka back to him, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk there. "You wanted him to be a friend." He leaned down, brushing his lips just over Ritsuka's; not quite a kiss, but very close. "You wanted to like him." Then Soubi was standing straight again, coaxing Ritsuka to walk with him.

His head was spinning-- would he ever get used to that?-- but Ritsuka started walking with him again, looking down at the ground in order to hide his blush. "Soubi…" There wasn't really any arguing with that though. He was right. Ritsuka's blush darkened, and he sighed softly. "How do you do that? Manage to be so… right?"

Soubi smiled, one eyebrow lifted. "You think I'm always right?"

"I didn't say that! You're right _this_ time."

A chuckle, and Ritsuka was suddenly glad that they were close to his house. He had a feeling that Soubi just liked seeing him get so indignant. Soubi stopped where he always did, right beside the mailbox, and Ritsuka hesitated for a heartbeat before he stretched up to place a soft kiss on Soubi's cheek. He blushed, but Soubi looked so happy at the motion that it was worth it. Without saying another word, Ritsuka ducked into his home, reaching up to rub at one of his cheeks as he did.

His mother was still in her room, and he felt his chest tighten as he breathed a sigh of relief at the thought. He headed straight into his room and pulled back the curtain to wave to Soubi. He smiled slightly as he watched Soubi wave back and finally head out, only after he was sure that Ritsuka didn't need him to help patch up. It was a strange mixture of pain and comfort all at once, and Ritsuka sighed as he fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

For a moment, he just stayed there, his eyes closing, his fingers reaching and finding a pillow to pull close to him, to curl up around. And then he pushed off of the bed and started changing, getting ready to go to sleep. He had school the next day, after all, and as he shut off lights and crawled under the covers, Ritsuka picked up his camera and checked the pictures, one by one, a smile on his face.

He woke to the beeping of his clock, and, sleepily, he rolled over to shut it off. With a sigh, he got on up, dressed himself for school, and headed into the hallway, where he carefully lit a stick of incense. For a moment, he lingered, just looking at the altar, and then he stepped into the kitchen. His parents were both in there, his mother sitting, docile for once, at the table, staring into her coffee cup. His father was pushing his breakfast around on the plate, occasionally lifting his eyes to glance at her.

Ritsuka drew a deep breath and sat at the table, very carefully studying his plate. It looked clear, nothing there that would confuse him; everything was what _Ritsuka_ would eat. He nodded slightly to himself, and he began eating slowly, carefully watching his mother's face to make sure he was in the clear. By the time he was done, he felt as though he were going to be sick-- he always did when he ate at home-- and he got up at the same time his father did.

He made it back to his room, grabbed his pack, and he headed out the door, breathing a sigh of relief when he made it all the way out without an incident. No fresh bandages before school. He started walking, shifting the bag's strap over his chest. He made it to school and smiled when he greeted Yuiko, Yayoi, and Shinonome-sensei. His eyes narrowed as he realized that Leon wasn't there, and when they all sat in the school, he noticed that Shinonome-sensei kept looking back at Leon's empty desk.

Yuiko twisted around to look a few times, as though Leon would just suddenly appear, and she frowned at Ritsuka, even leaning over to ask, "Where's Leon-kun?"

Ritsuka glanced back at the desk and shrugged a little as he forced himself to pay attention to the class. Most likely, Leon had been horribly embarrassed and frightened off by Soubi and Youji and Natsuo. He couldn't really blame Leon; three days at a new school and Ritsuka had exposed him to a group of people who seemed insistent that he was one of them, despite his own firm denial. Idly, Ritsuka tapped his pencil against the side of his face, wondering once more what _exactly_ made Leon so interesting.

School let out at twelve-thirty, as it always did on Saturdays, and Ritsuka met with Soubi outside. Yuiko was still inside, gathering her things, and Ritsuka took the moment to pull Soubi down just a little. "Let's go check on Leon-kun," he said and Soubi arched an eyebrow curiously, looking up then as though Leon would suddenly just _be _there. "He didn't come to school today--"

"Ritsuka-kun! You coming?" Yuiko stood there, Yayoi at her side, smiling widely at him. For one terrible moment, Ritsuka couldn't remember what it was she was talking about. Then it all came rushing back to him, and he sighed a little. He'd completely forgotten about his promise to go with Yuiko and Yayoi. They'd agreed to go to the park and take pictures yesterday if he'd promised to go over to Yayoi's with them today.

He smiled and waved, calling out, "I'll be right there!" Then he turned back to Soubi, studying him critically. Soubi offered a little grin.

"Plans today too, Ritsuka?"

"Sort of. Soubi, go check on Leon-kun. Send me a message when you're sure he's okay. And _apologize_ to him. There was no need for you to be so rude yesterday." Ritsuka wasn't sure what bothered him more, the fact that he was getting used to ordering Soubi around, or the fact that Soubi seemed ridiculously pleased with him for ordering him around.

But Soubi nodded and stood straight up again, waving to Yuiko and Yayoi before he turned to leave. Ritsuka watched him go, then turned and smiled to his friends. He'd blown them off enough; it was time to start actually spending some time with them instead of constantly disappearing to take care of other things.

"Let's go!"


	3. Leon: Variance

There was something wrong. Leon twisted around, trying to get a really good, clean view of the crest on his shoulder, trying to determine how bad the redness really was. He could barely move the arm without pain shooting across his back, and- his eyes narrowed- was that something _leaking_ out of the scab? He swallowed and quickly looked away, his gaze pausing on the first aid supplies he had managed to collect since arriving. It just didn't seem like it would ever be enough.

He drew another breath and just as he reached around to try to start cleaning it again, he heard something. His ears twitched back, and he looked up toward the bathroom door, frowning as he stood up, rolling his shoulders a little, trying to push back the discomfort the motion brought. He started to call out, but then stopped himself; Claude had shown him horror movies on the flight from Expel to Earth. He knew what happened to the idiot that called out 'hello.' Instead, he braced himself and let his senses flare out- something he'd been trying to tightly reign for the past several hours.

His crests flared into life, causing a fresh gush of something down his back. Gritting his teeth, he ignored it and stepped into the main room in the apartment (only the bathroom was set off with a door). He scowled, throwing the towel he hadn't realized that he'd been gripping in his hands at the intruder. Mostly in the window already, Soubi tugged on his other leg and closed the glass carefully behind him, then reached up and locked it.

"You shouldn't leave your windows open, Leon-kun."

Leon sighed, his shoulders dropping. He gave up. There clearly was no moral or ethical code by which these people seemed to live, and certainly no sense of privacy. "What are you doing here, Soubi-nii-san?"

The blond walked over to him slowly, leaning down to really look at him. It was only when Leon reached up to push him away that he realized _what_ Soubi was looking at. The crests were all lit up from the pain in his shoulder, and since he was wearing only a pair of jeans, the glowing patterns were impossible to miss. He flushed, reached for the lab coat he'd kept and moved to tug it on.

At his wince, Soubi took it from him and stepped around him, dropping to one knee to look at Leon's back. His touch was cool, soothing, and Leon shivered under it, wondering vaguely why he felt like he couldn't move. No one had ever touched him so delicately, as though he were something fragile. Not _him_, the child prodigy of Lacuer.

"It's infected. Hurts?"

Leon swallowed, then he nodded. "When I move it," he whispered, and Soubi led him back into the bathroom, where he took over the cleaning process. Leon hated to admit it, but he was grateful. Had he thought, even for a moment, that the teleport crest was going to give him _this_ much trouble, he would have had it tattooed elsewhere. … Not that he had any other space on his body large enough for it that could be exposed to air quickly enough to use.

"What is it?" Soubi's touch was tender along the inflamed skin as he worked, and Leon closed his eyes, willing himself to relax.

"A crest," he answered after a minute of debate. Soubi claimed to be some sort of spell-casting Sentouki; he couldn't laugh at anything Leon told him. Ever. "It..." He clenched his fist and committed himself; all or nothing. "It's for a spell."

The touch didn't stop, and Leon breathed out a quiet breath of relief as Soubi asked, "A spell?"

Leon nodded, and he felt something cold touching his back. Rubbing alcohol, from the smell of it. He had honestly not been entirely certain what to do with the first aid supplies he'd collected, and he was grateful for Soubi's arrival, no matter how unorthodox. He glanced in the mirror, suddenly pleased to see that he could _watch_ what Soubi was doing. The man looked very intent on his work, his long hair spilling down his back, his eyes focused and sharp behind his glasses. A small smile touched Leon's face.

"Yeah. Doesn't work though. I used it too soon and some of the ink washed out."

"It won't ever work without the ink?" The little cotton ball was set aside, and then Soubi was squeezing something over his fingers out of a small tube. This 'medicine' didn't have a smell, oddly enough. Leon wrinkled his nose a little as he tried to twist around to look once more at the crest on his back. Soubi's other fingertips gently lifted and pushed his head back to look in the mirror instead. Leon stuck his tongue out, but obediently stayed still all the same.

"No. The ink is necessary to complete the symbol; it's the symbol itself that gives power. I mean, I suppose you could use regular ink, or even a ..." He faltered only a moment, trying to recall the word, and then he nodded to himself. "Even a marker, if you're precise enough when drawing it. But it has to be exact." Idly, Leon hooked his thumbs into the belt loops on his jeans.

The bandage was very carefully applied, and then Soubi was rocking back on his heels for a moment. Leon turned around, still blushing slightly at the thought of being so vulnerable in front of someone that struck him as being so dangerous. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable being without a shirt on; a heraldic master got used to being unclothed in front of people. It was the fact that Soubi had so gingerly bandaged him up, that Soubi had _taken care of him_. Leon swallowed. He couldn't remember the last time someone had bandaged one of his crests for him.

"You never answered my question," he finally said softly. Soubi tilted his head and smiled. It was a strange smile; one that whispered of secrets. "What are you doing here?"

A moment, and then Soubi stood, brushing off his knees idly. "Ritsuka sent me. You weren't at school, and he was concerned. Have you eaten yet?"

"This is _my_ house. You can't offer to cook me something in my own house." Leon rubbed his arm and then he frowned all over again as he realized there was another whole set of questions to be asked. "For that matter, how did you even know which apartment was mine?"

"Your battle domain." Soubi apparently had selective hearing though, because he was in the little kitchen area, opening cabinets. "I sensed you."

"And you could tell I was alone?"

Another one of _those_ smiles. "In this building, the first floor is entirely studio apartments." Slowly, the blond closed the cabinet door. "There is nothing here to eat, Leon-kun. What do you normally fix?"

"I... I haven't had time to do much shopping. I tend to buy whatever I'm going to cook that day." He walked over to his dresser and found a t-shirt to pull on. Emblazoned over the front of it was 'It's dangerous to go alone; take this!' with a strangely drawn sword under the words. For whatever reason, Leon found that he liked it in the same way that he had rapidly taken to the jeans. Clothing was strange here, but not bad.

"Mm." Soubi closed the last of the cabinets, turning around just as Leon got the shirt all the way on, wincing slightly as he reached up to rub his shoulder again. "Don't. If you scratch through the bandage, it will get worse."

"It _itches_, Soubi-nii-san." Leon was aware that he was pouting, but in that moment, that _instant_, he didn't care. He was sick of being mature and taking care of himself. He was sick of being an _adult_. Rena and Claude had taught him that it was okay to act his age, and as soon as he had learned that, accepted that as a truth, he'd been jerked away and thrown into a place where it was a lie all over again.

Soubi walked back over to him, crouching down so that he was just above eye-level with Leon. The youth swallowed when Soubi leaned in a little, studying him intently. Just _what_ intent Soubi had, Leon wasn't certain, but _something_ was there. It was in the way he gaze narrowed, in the casual manner that he used when he reached up to brush Leon's hair away from his eyes.

"Your parents don't live here." It wasn't a question, and Leon didn't insult either of them by pretending it was. He stood perfectly still, returning the look as evenly as he could. Dealing with Soubi was like dealing with a volatile compound- you had to be extra careful with any movements you made. Strangely, it made Leon think of Dias, and he ignored how his heart twisted at the thought of any of the people he'd left behind. They wouldn't even be _born_ for another four hundred years; it was impossible to miss someone who hadn't even entered the universe yet, wasn't it?

Leon brushed the thoughts away, turning his attention back to the man in front of him. He reached up and pushed Soubi's glasses up a little, using the motion to steady himself. It might have been incredibly rude by their standards, but given what he'd been put through, he felt as though he'd known Soubi for far longer than only a few hours. "I live here; that's what matters, isn't it?"

Soubi nodded slowly, and he reached up to capture Leon's hand between his own. He pulled Leon's fingers down to his mouth, where he placed the softest kiss that Leon had ever felt. "You can't stay here alone. If the Seven Moons find out about you-"

"How would they?" Leon tilted his head, his brow furrowing as he studied the blond. When Soubi didn't answer, Leon pulled his hand away. "My domain. I still haven't constricted it enough." He looked up, sighing, his ears twitching at the idea. His heraldic training was working against him here; he'd worked most of his life to keep his 'domain' as open as possible, to sense for monsters and other casters alike. Now, it only served to make him a target. "I thought I was getting better."

"You are." Soubi reached up and ruffled Leon's hair before he pushed himself back up to his feet. "You're a fast learner. You'd be faster with a teacher."

"I'm not a Sentouki." Leon's hands clenched into fists. Soubi was right, of course. If he could be instructed, or at least corrected when he did something inefficiently, he would improve much more quickly. He wasn't foolish; he knew that it was perfectly logical. He also knew though that living _with_ someone created risks that he wasn't entirely sure he was prepared to take.

"No, you're not." Soubi's fingers lingered on one Leon's ears for just a moment before he dropped his hand back to his side. "You haven't been trained yet."

Leon's ears flattened. He'd been training since he was old enough to talk. His first crest had been inked when he had been only three, making him the youngest heraldic caster in Expel. But he did his best to give no indication of the insult, instead he nodded slowly. "What are you suggesting then?"

"Move in with me. Doesn't have to be for long. Just until you learn to hide yourself better."

"... I can't." No matter how tempting the offer, it was far beyond what Leon considered an 'acceptable level' of risk. "You already have two living with you, and besides my parents-"

"No one else lives here, Leon-kun." Soubi's smile returned, and Leon flushed, looking away from him quickly. "I'm not going to even try to guess why you don't have parents living with you. To be fair, unless it affects Ritsuka..." Soubi paused just long enough to watch Leon shake his head violently. "Then I don't care. But Ritsuka cares about you, and you living here alone is a risk. One that _will_ affect him, whether you mean it to or not."

Leon hesitated. No matter how much he didn't want to be a burden, no matter how much he wanted to just fit in, it seemed that he was doomed to cause more problems than even he could solve.

"At least until your shoulder heals then?" Soubi reached down and tilted Leon's head up, encouraging him to look at the blond. "You will need someone to help you care for it. And if it gets worse, it would be safer to stay with someone." His hand slid back into Leon's hair, pulling Leon closer to him. Slowly, their foreheads touched together, and Soubi looked at him over those glasses.

They stayed just like that for a minute, Leon's brow furrowing as he tried to figure out Soubi's game, as he tried to determine what _exactly_ was going on. Nothing was ever this simple; normal people didn't _think_ this way. That thought brought a small smile to his lips. After all, when had he ever been normal? He swallowed then and nodded against Soubi, his eyes closing. "Just until my shoulder heals," he agreed quietly. Soubi smiled- Leon didn't have to see it to know it was there- then pressed a soft kiss to Leon's forehead before he moved.

He flipped open his phone, and Leon tilted his head as he watched Soubi tap out a text message to someone. Ritsuka, probably, given their connection to one another. Leon sighed and reached for his lab coat, pulling it close to his nose, breathing in the lingering scent that clung to it. Claude had been so close to him for most of the trip from Expel, and Leon had even stayed in Claude's quarters. His smell still clung to the white fabric; it was Leon's tiny slice of home.

By the time he had centered himself once more, Soubi was already gathering Leon's clothes, most still in their shopping bags, tags only pulled off when Leon went to pull them on. A small smile crossed Soubi's lips, but he didn't say anything as he folded things and put everything in a single bag to carry. Leon glanced over at the small stack of books in the corner- mostly technical manuals designed to instruct him on how everything from plumbing to electricity worked in this society- and he dropped to his knees as he began to put those in a bag as well.

It was probably not a good thing that it only took them a few minutes to get all of Leon's belongings ready for travel and that just the two of them could carry everything with no trouble, but Leon didn't let himself think about it too much. He _certainly_ didn't let himself remember the room he'd had in Lacuer, filled from floor to ceiling with books on spells and monsters and plant-life; or even Claude's room on the ship, with its 'lived-in' appearance due to clothes and everything else scattered all over the place. And when Leon turned the key to lock the door, he swallowed, feeling as though everything was beginning to spiral out of his control. He didn't like the sensation crawling under his skin, and he shouldered his bag carefully, not letting his discomfort show. He could _feel_ Soubi's gaze on him.

Then a hand lightly landed on his shoulder, pulled him close, and Leon leaned into the heat of Soubi's body, his eyes sliding closed. Instinctively, his senses flared out around himself, and, with considerable effort, he reigned them back in, knowing that it was a dangerous habit to have. He opened his eyes when Soubi chuckled, and for just a moment, he felt it bubbling up: the biting retort that he normally would have fired off. It died on his tongue when he saw Soubi's face, the genuine _happiness_ that lit the Sentouki. Any discomfort over the idea of being laughed at faded.

They walked in silence until Leon couldn't stand it any longer, and he finally asked quietly, "How am I going to explain this to Ritsuka-kun?"

"However you like."

Leon lifted his gaze to study Soubi's face, to really _look_ at the expression there. "Soubi-nii-san," he started slowly, drawing a deep breath to brace himself; he hadn't learned how to ask something like this until he'd traveled with Claude, and it still didn't come naturally to him, "will you train me as a Sentouki? Teach me?" There was a sudden stillness between them, and Leon swallowed, instinctively knowing that the question was a loaded one. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched Soubi's wrist. "Please?"

Soubi looked down at him for a moment, and then he looked back ahead of them. They had reached Soubi's place before the blond finally murmured, "I will teach you what I can." It was said so quietly that Leon almost missed it.

He nodded and smiled though, willing himself to behave 'normally,' at least as best he could. "Thank you."

The door opened just as they reached it, and another young man- about Soubi's age- stood there, a white stick in his mouth, the earrings in his ear making a soft jingle when he moved. He smiled at Soubi, but the expression faltered just a moment when he looked down at Leon. Leon blinked, and, sensing another explosion of emotion that he wasn't sure he could handle, he purposely widened his eyes as far as they could, dropped his shoulders, and let his lips part just a little, the epitome of shyness and nerves.

"Soubi-nii-san," he murmured, reaching up and wrapping one hand around Soubi's forearm. The young man in the door smiled slowly before he stepped aside, allowing them entrance.

"'Nii-san?'" He tugged the door shut behind them, and Soubi deposited Leon's things in the middle of the room.

"Leon-kun, meet Kio-kun." A small smile was on the Sentouki's face, and Kio squatted down to look at Leon eye-to-eye. Leon purposely kept his eyes wide, and he smiled hesitantly, reaching out a hand to Kio. "Leon-kun will be staying with me for a little while," Soubi called as he rolled up his sleeves and stepped into the kitchenette.

"A please to meet you," Leon murmured, and Kio shook his hand, raising an eyebrow at the motion. "My parents had to return to America for a family emergency on my mother's side. Soubi-nii-san was kind enough to offer me a place to stay so that I don't have to change schools again this year."

"That..." Kio hesitated, and then twisted to look at Soubi for a moment before his attention returned to Leon. "That's very kind of him. You're American then?"

"Not exactly." Leon fidgeted, looking down briefly before he glanced up at Kio. He reached up to brush his hair from his eyes, his ears flattening just slightly. "I'm Japanese, but my mother has family in the United States. In Seattle."

Leon heard Soubi's little chuckle, and he shot a quick glare into the blond's back. Then Kio was reaching up to touch his ears, and Leon stilled, his breath coming in shallowly before he ducked away from Kio's touch. Another person without ears clearly having some sort of strange fascination with them.

"It's funny," Kio said with a little laugh as Leon began moving the few bags of his things against a nearby wall. "Your hair and eyes are the exact same shade, but your ears are different. Is your tail brown too?"

Another bland smile, and Leon reached for the knotted jacket around his waist. Kio clearly took the smile as a 'yes,' because then he was speaking again, and Leon took the moment to dart over to Soubi's side, taking over salting the water for pasta. Soubi let him, reaching to ruffle Leon's hair just slightly. Both of them looked up when there was a little groan from the bed tucked away in the corner.

A pillow shot across the room toward Kio, and the young man caught it with a laugh. "You have to be faster than that," he called, and there was another plaintive groan from the bed, and a flash of movement as the blankets were pulled up over the occupants. Kio crossed the room to stand near Soubi and Leon, lowering his voice slightly as he pulled the white stick from his mouth. "To be honest, I forgot they were in here," he said with a little laugh.

Leon smiled as he adjusted the heat on the pot, and Soubi handed Kio a plate of vegetables. Without question, Kio began chopping them up, and Leon's smile widened in to a grin. It was the second night in a row that Soubi had managed to pass off that duty to someone else. Perhaps he didn't like cutting up the vegetables when he didn't have to?

Soubi took the moment to check his phone, and then he had stepped outside to type a message out on it. Ritsuka must have responded, but Leon hadn't even heard the little device go off. He bit his bottom lip just a little. There was still a lot he had to learn about this place, things that he was having to relearn since what little he _had_ managed to learn was only applicable four hundred and fifty years in the future. With a little sigh, Leon dumped pasta in the boiling water, and he listened to Kio talk.

"What is that?" he finally asked, unable to stand it as he watched Kio pull the white stick out of his mouth. Clearly, there was some sort of candy at the end of it; Leon could smell the sweet rolling off of the thing, but he'd never _seen_ a sweet like it before. Kio was staring at him, so clearly, Leon should have known what ever the thing was, and he took advantage of the moment to take it out of Kio's hand. Hesitantly, he sniffed it, trying to figure out what was so appealing about something that was _so_ sweet.

"You've never had a lollipop? A chupa?"

"I don't believe I have." Finally, he handed it back, and he watched as Kio shoved it back in his mouth before he started fumbling at the top of his bag at his feet. Then a wrapped candy was shoved in Leon's hands, and he stared at it curiously before looking back up. "A chupa?"

"Yeah. It's a lollipop. You suck on it?" Kio reached over impatiently and unwrapped it before handing it back to Leon. Leon studied it a little more, certain that there had to be more chemical in the thing than actual food. Finally, with Kio's expecting look weighing down on him, Leon tentatively licked it and then put it in his mouth, like Kio did. He wrinkled up his nose at the sheer amount of sugar he could taste, but what little flavor did manage to overpower the sugar was good. Kind of like an apple, if he used his imagination.

"Yeah? You like it?"

Leon smiled around the little white stick jutting from his lips, and he nodded. Soubi snorted as he shut the door behind himself.

"Kio-kun, are you giving Leon-kun candy before dinner?"

"He'd never had one, Soubi-kun! He _needed_ it!"

Leon hid a little smile as he resumed fixing dinner for them. Perhaps living with Soubi wouldn't be as scary as he kept thinking it would.


End file.
